Classical Music and Wine Link in Symphonic Pairing At Sommelier Series

Classical music-focused nonprofit Mainly Mozart will debut its new series of concerts Saturday evening, pairing some of the most respected musicians in the country with curated wines.

The Sommelier Series: The Concertmasters, begins Saturday at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club, and will feature concertmasters from the Philadelphia Orchestra, Dallas Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic over its three-dates. The latter two concerts are scheduled for Jan. 11 and Feb. 8 next year.

“We used the inspiration of March’s Culinary Concerto gala which paired world-class music with fine wine and fare, in creating the Sommelier Series,” said Nancy Laturno, Mainly Mozart co-founder and CEO. “There’s such a rich history and depth of feeling that exists with classical music. It is a uniquely emotive art form and we believe that this will be a sensory experience that you’ll never forget.”

Each of the concerts will feature wines curated by one of the region’s top sommeliers — coordinated by “MasterChef” winner and judge Chef Claudia Sandoval.

The concerts will begin with an hour-long wine and appetizer reception at 6 p.m. followed by a discussion with the sommelier, followed by the concert at 7 p.m. Wine will be poured between musical selections, and sommeliers and musicians will “illustrate the connection of the wine to the pieces being performed,” a statement from Mainly Mozart reads.

Philadelphia Orchestra Concertmaster David Kim and Sommelier Rafael Peterson will team up for Saturday’s 6 p.m. concert, featuring performances by Philadelphia Orchestra musicians Burchard Chang, viola and Priscilla Lee, cello. The concert will feature works by Beethoven, Handel and Dohnanyi.

Tickets range from $125 to $500 per concert and are on sale at https://www.mainlymozart.org/.

–City News Service